The Consenquence of Choice
by Firebirds of Winter
Summary: set fifteen years after TMNT. the turtles discover a secret that has been kept from Leo for 15 years, and now they have to protect this secret however possible... please review and comment
1. Regrets and Redemption

**A/N: hey guys! Birdie (Donata) here! just letting u all know that this is the prologue to this story - sorry for any confusion caused *gives cookie to "a better name" for the heads up* thanks mate ^^**

also, u might wanna head over to my profile if u want to know what the heck is going on with this and my other story, Dark Angel

(ps. suggestions in regards to Dark Angel will be gladly appreciated *puppy-dog

**eyes*  
~Birdie**

She looked at Leo, horrified at what she had almost done. "Charlie?" Leo asked as she collapsed in a heap in front of him. The forest was quiet, as if still in shock at what had unfolded only moments before in its tranquillity. "Charlie," Leo said again as she started crying. "What's happened? Why are you doing this? What have I done?"

"It isn't you," Charlie replied through tears, "to answer your question: me. I was fighting myself, sensei." Leo was shocked; this isn't like Charlie at all. He started to have a sinking feeling he knew where this was heading.

"Go on."

"My foe, fear, inner turmoil and love. I was fighting all of these." Charlie looked up, tears glittering in her butterscotch eyes. "All these things make up me. I imagined you were me when we were duelling, master. I felt a blind rage build up inside of me, and I did the one thing you practically drilled into me _not_ to do: I gave into it." She looked down, shaking, "I had let my anger consume me," Charlie looked up and looked deep into Leo's eyes. "I'm sorry for injuring you, master."

Leo looked at this young woman whom he secretly loved and who painfully reminded him of his family back in New York, especially Raph. _Stop it_, Leo thought and shook himself inwardly. Leo closed his eyes and when he opened them, he saw Charlie kneeling before him, trying to compose herself; not his younger brother staring back at him on the rooftop that night. _Stop it!_ Leo thought again and forced himself back into the present. "The wounds will heal. I have sustained worse blows from Raphael."

Charlie looked at him in disbelief, "but I almost _decapitated_ you! I sliced the top of your shell off and I gave you deep cuts all over your body!"

She started to cry, but Leo knelt and held her hand, stopping her. He didn't like it when she started beating herself up like this; sometimes he wished she would just grow up. And this was one of those times. "My wounds _will_ heal Charlotte. As for my shell… don't worry about it. Physical injuries are unimportant. What is important, however, is one's wellbeing. Now, what's the matter?" Charlie looked at him for a moment, then stared at the ground, silent.

After what seemed like eternity, when Leo thought she was going to keep quiet, Charlie said, "Alex. I hate myself Leo. I left Leon with Alex. He said 'If you don't leave this second, I'll kill Leon with my bare hands. Then _you_ will share the same fate!'" Charlie looked at her sensei, "Alex was gonna _kill_ him, Leo! I was so angry I left my son with him that I lost control. I'm sorry, master."

"Charlie, it takes someone with courage to realise their mistake; but it takes someone who _tempers_ this courage with humility to actually come out and speak of their mistakes to their sensei." Leo simply said. He allowed himself a small smile at remembering how many times his own master spoke those same words as he calmly studied her reaction: faces of anger, hopelessness, guilt, then finally resolve.

"Master, what should I do?"

"You still have much to learn, child. In time, you will answer your own question. But first, let's get to the temple and reflect upon our actions."


	2. Mia

15 years later…

"YAHOOO!!!" Mia yelled as her sister, Prudence, watched from the side of the skate park. The late afternoon sun had been beating down on Prudence and her patience for over an hour and a half.

"Come _on_ Mia. Mum and dad are gonna kill us if we're late _again_! And this time, I _will_ be telling them of your skateboarding secret."

As soon as she said this, Mia stopped skating and was in Prudence's face before she knew it. "Prue, just because you're a _goodie-two-shoes_ doesn't mean you can be the boss of me! I don't care if you're my twin or not! Now, you can go home to _mummy and daddy_, but I'm staying here!"

"How long are you gonna be?"

"How long is a piece of string? Now, if you're not too busy, BEAT IT!"

"Fine, I will! Don't come crying to me if you get jumped or something." Prudence said as she stormed off.

"Good riddance! Now, I wonder…" Mia mumbled under her breath.

The sun was setting over Central Park by the time she got to the manhole. "I wonder if it's as good as he says it is?"

Mia slid into the manhole with her board in-toe. When she got to the bottom, Mia couldn't help it. "Sometimes, I hate myself for listening to Mikey _and_ seeing what he means by good skate material in the _sewers_!"

Mia shuddered, quietly complained and cussed as she sloshed down the sewer. She tripped on something in the stringent water and fell face-first into the foul-smelling liquid. Mia sat up, sputtered and muttered something about karma and foul luck, all the while cussing and cursing anyone she could think of. Mikey seemed to star quite a lot in this little outburst. She got up, looked at her jeans – which had been ripped off at the knee when she fell, swore, and started walking again with new purpose: it was looking more and more likely that Mikey was gonna have a broken nose by the end of the night.

She continued to walk angrily – tripping several more times with accompanying foul language and thoughts - until she heard a voice down one tunnel. "15 years and Leo still hasn't come back. You might as well disown Leo for all his worth, Mikey! For all he cares for us!" When she realised the owner of the voice was heading her way, Mia hid behind an outcropping. Too late. The unknown person grabbed her arm and flipped her end-over-end. When Mia got above the sewer water, she saw the figure was in fact the Nightwatcher, attempting to make a comeback after 15 years. "Who the heck are you? Don't worry kid. I'm gonna send you to bed a little early tonight." Mia immediately wasn't afraid of the Nightwatcher. She had a good feeling who he was. Before she could think, Mia was slowly being choked by the Nightwatcher. Suddenly, something struck the Nightwatcher in the back. "Let her go Raph." It was Mikey!

The Nightwatcher threw Mia towards Mikey and took off his helmet. "Mikey, _don't_ become like Leo! Just don't!" Mikey helped Mia up and looked at Raph, who was trying to go back to his old habits again.

"Raph, come back inside! You wanna fight? Fight inside! How on earth am I able to be your brother if you don't talk to me?!"

Raph stood there for a moment, his anger simmering. "All right Mikey, you win! God, not even Splinter got me to see sense when I'm like this. What's your secret Mikey!"

"Get in will ya? I'm starting to freeze here!" Mikey was already inside.

"All right Mikey, sheesh!"

"So that's why you're starting to get pigheaded again," Mia murmured absent-mindedly. "No offence Raph." she quickly added with a smirk when she saw the look on Raph's face. The three of them were in an old facility, presumably to monitor sewerage levels and the like before it was abandoned. An old facility that has had a different purpose for over sixteen years…

"We need to find Leo. Amelia, do you know anyone in Japan? That's roughly where he is." Mikey asked.

"Mikey, for the umpteenth time, it's Mia! Secondly – what?! Japan?! Are you kidding?!" Mia blurted out.

"Mia, as much as I hate to admit it, we need Leo. Donny went AWOL and Splinter's gone. I don't think we can survive here anymore," Raph sombrely whispered. "Please Mia, please! Mia, you listened to me, you came down here. I'm sorry I deceived you about the boarding, but I didn't know what else to do," Mikey pleaded. Mia put her hands up, "hey, I didn't say I wouldn't help you. There's something I have to ask you though." Mikey and Raph looked at each other, heads shaking. "I've been having these really weird dreams lately," Mia thought for a moment, then shook her head, "it doesn't matter. If you want to head to Japan, expect me to tag along. Now, let's get on a plane to Japan then, eh?"


	3. From Kobe to Fuji

Kobe, Japan

"C'mon, Fuyuko. I wanna show you the dojo I go to," a fifteen year-old was begging her friend. They were walking along a busy street in downtown Kobe. "No Raphaela, I can't!" Fuyuko was Japanese, however her friend was not. "Raphaela, you know better than anyone else of what happened to Kikuko when she was here!" Raphaela groaned loudly, this was the tenth time she repeated this, damn it!

"Kikuko was a student! Not a _visitor_! Fuyuko, no one will lay a finger on you, we are sworn to the Bushido Code. If anyone is gonna do such a thing, it's gonna be me!" Fuyuko still seemed unsure. "Trust me."

They came to a building that looked completely out of character against the skyscrapers along the street. The building that Raphaela trained and lived in. A place she called home her entire life. When they entered the dojo, Fuyuko found herself in front of Raphaela's sensei, Dante. "My name is Ishudo Dante. I am the main teacher at this Ninjitsu academy. What is your name?"

"Fuyuko. Raphaela got me to visit, and I'm glad she did." Dante nodded and asked, "Fuyuko, would you like a tour?" Turning to Raphaela, he said, "master Donatello wants to speak with you." Raphaela looked at an uncertain Fuyuko then said, "You'll be fine. Dante will look after you." With that, she headed for the sacred chamber at the heart of the dojo.

Mt. Fuji forest, near Tokyo, Japan

He was running, _somebody be here! I don't want him to find me!_ As if as he said it, someone blocked his way. _Oh, man!_ The figure raised a hand and he sussed the figure was female. "Who are you running from, child?" _I have no time for this!_ "Please move. I need to get to a temple near here." The woman did not move. All she did was lower her hand. "You are looking for your mother, aren't you? Well, you're gonna have to prove yourself to _me_ first!"

"Fine!" He noticed a relatively straight, long stick nearby. He kicked it up with his foot and whirled it around like a Bo staff. "Fine," the woman growled and calmly wielded her twin sai. Each stood ready in a face off. The chirping of birds in the forest ceased. As if waiting in anticipation for the fight that was to come. Then it happened. Slash over wack, Sais and staff on offence then defence and back again as each combatant fought. All of a sudden, a sai got through the staff barrier. He stopped and grabbed his arm. The woman, a student of Ninjitsu, calmly replaced her Sais. "My name is Raquel. I have been assigned to protect the temple which you seek." He dropped the stick in shock as two more women dropped from the trees. The teen in the middle of this broken square whispered, "My name is Leon Alexander." Leon looked down, sighed, then said, "I have fled the one called Alex, my father." Leon looked at each of the women, silently pleading with them. Finally, Raquel faded into the underbrush without a word. The woman to Leon's left growled, "I'm Izumi. You don't have to worry about running into me, because I have to go to Kobe within the hour." With that, Izumi left. The last woman walked up from behind to face him and kindly said, "You can call me Padmé. I'll take you to the temple. Looks like you have potential with the Bo. If you want, I could teach you a few techniques?"

"I may take you up on you're offer. Right now, though…" Leon stammered. But Padmé had already started into the forest. "You coming?" Leon rolled his eyes and hurried after Padmé into the undergrowth.

"You did well, Charlie. You stopped yourself from going down there."

"Thank you, sensei," Charlie got up from her vantage point in a nearby tree and looked over to a ghostly figure beside her. "Master, I have a feeling that we have a new student."

"Mmmm… the road is going to be long and difficult for this one."

_**A/N ok i know that i haven't updated this in a looooooooooooooooooooong time; this is due to 2 reasons:**_

_**1: i lost the next 5 chapters to this story (due to a massive issue when i had to get my computer re-formatted *sigh*)**_

_**2: i am suffering from terminal writers block on this story (primarily due to the above reason) :(((**_

_***** more information regarding this and my other story (Dark Angel) is on my profile; feel free to PM me if you have any concerns of queries :)**_

_**~Donnie**_


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